Theft-proof display rack



Sept. 10, 1968 G. A. SNOW THEFT-PROOF DISPLAY RACK Filed Aug. 25, 1967FIG. 3.

FIG. 5.

.M- N 0 N s 2 u A U \R M M a Q w M MIMI (M e H W w W n 4 4 (m 6 KmUnited States Patent 3,400,812 THEFT-PROOF DISPLAY RACK Gerald A. Snow,106 7th Ave. NE.,

Independence, Iowa 50644 Filed Aug. 25, 1967, Ser. No. 667,031 13Claims. (Cl. 20672) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A theft-proof displayrack for billfolds having a support surface for the billfolds, and aseries of slots in the support surface corresponding in number to thenumber of billfolds to be displayed. A retaining clip having a loopportion is pushed through each billfold and its loop portion is disposedin each of the slots. Beneath the support surface is a slidable lockingplate having a plurality of lock fingers corresponding to the number ofslots. Each lock finger is adapted to be disposed in intersectingregistration with its corresponding slot, and pass through the loopportion of the retaining clip disposed therein to retain it and preventits removal. A coil spring connected to one end of the lock plate urgeseach lock finger out of intersecting registration with its correspondingslot so the retaining clips can be removed, but the opposite end of thelocking plate can be placed in abutment with a stationary pin to retainthe intersecting registration against the bias of the spring.

Field of invention This invention relates to a display rack, and moreparticularly, a rack designed to display billfolds or the like whichincludes a locking mechanism for preventing their unauthorized removal.

Description of prior art Merchants are constantly harassed byshoplifters, who, over a period of time account for losses ofmerchandise involving substantial sums. This problem is particularlyacute where the vended goods have substantial value.

This poses somewhat of a dilemma, since the merchant wants to displayhis goods in the hope of interesting a legitimate customer, but hecannot maintain a constant watch over the displayed goods.

In order to alleviate this problem, racks have been devised fordisplaying merchandise which include means for locking the displayedarticle to the rack in an inconspicuous manner, to prevent itsunauthorized removal. Most of these racks are specifically designed todisplay jewelry, such as rings mounting precious gems, watches, etc. EX-amples of such racks are disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 989,571,2,935,202, and 3,024,774.

None of the racks disclosed in these patents are adapted to display lessprecious articles of merchandise, although the need exists as much.Furthermore, the locking mechanisms utilized involve complicatedstructures having high maintenance and fabrication costs, or theiroperation is readily discernible to the experienced eye, rendering themineffective.

Summary of invention The theft-proof display rack of the presentinvention is designed to display a variety of items. While the rack isespecially adapted to display leather billfolds, it may also be used todisplay jewelry rings, watches, etc. The locking 3,400,812 PatentedSept. 10, 1968 mechanism employed by the rack is simple, but its mode ofoperation is not readily apparent to the naked eye.

In order to achieve these objectives, the rack includes an articlesupport surface provided with a series of slots corresponding in numberto the number of articles to be displayed. For displaying billfolds, aretaining clip having a loop portion is pushed through the openingnormally found in the center of a billfold, and the loop portion of theclip extending from each billfold is disposed in one of the slots.

Beneath the support surface is a slidable locking plate having aplurality of lock fingers corresponding to the number of slots. Eachlock finger is adapted to be disposed in intersecting registration witha corresponding slot and pass through the loop portion of the retainingclip disposed therein to retain it and prevent its removal. A coilspring connected to one end of the lock plate urges each lock finger outof intersecting registration with its corresponding slots so theretaining clips can be removed, but a stationary pin abuts the oppositeend of the lock plate to retain the intersecting registration againstthe bias of the spring. The end of the locking plate adjacent the pin isbent, to provide a finger pull to push the locking plate out of abutmentwith the pin, enabling the spring to move each lock finger out ofintersecting registration with its slot to permit removal of a retainerclip and billfold.

The finger pull is accessible only through the bottom of the rack, andis normally hidden from view. Even should it be discovered, there isonly one direction of movement of the pull to take the locking plate outof abutment with the retaining pin, which until found by trial anderror, will constitute a time consuming chore to a shoplifter, who doesnot want attention.

Other articles may be displayed on the rack, in lieu of billfolds, forexample finger rings. The loop portion of the ring need only be disposedwithin a slot in the support surface. Still other items merely need havea retaining clip securely fastened to them to be held by the rack.

Brief description of the drawing Further objects and advantages of theinvention will become apparent from the following description andclaims, and from the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded perspective view of the display rack andretaining clip used in the present invention for securing a billfold tothe rack;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the planeindicated by line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a bottom plan view of the display rack illustrated in FIGURE1, with certain portions shown in section for clarity of illustration;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken ssubstantiallyalong the plane indicated by line 4-4 of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary cross-sectional view of theright-hand portion of the rack shown in FIG- URE 3, the lockingmechanism having been moved to its open position.

Description of preferred embodiment Referring now to the drawing indetail, wherein like numerals indicate like elements throughout theseveral views, the theft-proof display rack of the present invention isgenerally indicated by the numeral 10.

The display rack 10 includes two, generally rectangular blocks 12 and13, formed from wood, metal, plastic or any other suitable material.When placed in abutting relation, along one of their longitudinal edges,blocks 12 and 13 provide an upper display or support surface 14.

Blocks 12 and 13 are held in abutting relation by upstanding end walls16 and 18, joined to the blocks 12 and 13 by dowels or pegs 20,extending between the end walls and blocks.

A series of slots 22 are cut at an angle through block 12 along itsabutting edge with block 13. A longitudinal slot 24, below and parallelto support surface 14 and intersecting each slot 22, is cut along theedge of block 12 abutting block 13. The depth of slot 24 is equal to thelength of each slot 22. A longitudinal slot 26, complementing slot 24and constituting a lateral extension thereof, is cut in the edge ofblock 13 abutting block 12.

Disposed within complemental slots 24, 26 is a locking plate 28. Lockingplate 28 is provided with a series of substantially, L-shaped slots 30along one edge to form a series of lock fingers 32. The number of lockfingers 32 corresponds to the number of slots 22 and each finger isadapted to intersect one of the slots, as shown in FIG- URE 3.

A coil spring 34 received within end wall 18 is wound about a projection36 on one end of locking plate 28, and normally urges locking plate 28to the right in FIG- URE 3 to prevent intersecting registration of lockfingers 32 with its corresponding slot 22. However, the other end oflocking plate 28 is undercut to provide an abutment shoulder 38.Shoulder 38 is adapted to abut a stationary pin 40, inserted through thebottom surface 42 of block 12 into longitudinal slot 24, and maintainthe intersecting registration of lock fingers 32 with its correspondingslot 22 against the urging of spring 34.

The end of locking plate 28 adjacent shoulder 38 is bent at right anglesto provide a finger pull 44. Finger pull 44 is accessible through anopening 46 cut in bottom surface 42 of block 12. It is only necessary tomove finger pull 44 upwardly in FIGURES 3 and 5 to take shoulder 38 outof abutment with pin 40, and enable spring 34 to push the locking plate28 to the right preventing intersecting registration of lock fingers 32with slots 22. As shown in FIGURES 2, 3 and 5, the combined lateraldimensions of slots 24 and 26 are greater than the lateral dimension ofthe locking plate 28 and thus provide sufficient clearance for fingerpull 44 to move locking plate 28 laterally until shoulder 38 clears pin40.

To reposition lock fingers 32 in intersecting registration with slots22, the movement of finger pull 44 is to the left and downwardly inFIGURE 5 to bind abutment shoulder 38 against pin 40.

In order to secure a billfold 48 in display position upon rack 10, andprevent its unauthorized removal, a retaining clip 50, having 2.depending loop portion 52 is inserted through the slit normally found inthe center of billfold 48. Loop portion 52 is then inserted within oneof the slots 22 after locking plate 28 is disposed in the positionindicated in FIGURE 5. Finger pull 44 is then moved against the bias ofspring 34 and downwardly, causing a lock finger 32 to intersect the slot22 through which depending loop 52 of retaining clip 50 is disposed, andpass through the loop portion. Downward movement of finger pull 44causes shoulder 38 to abut pin and retain the lock finger 32 through thelooped portion 52 of clip 50. Upward movement of the clip and billfoldis thus precluded. To remove the billfold, the motion of finger pull 44is reversed.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that any ring-shapedobject or loop can be disposed within a slot 22 and retained in the samemanner. Thus finger rings with precious gems may be held by rack 10, aswell as any object to which clip can be securely fastened.

While a specific embodiment of my invention has been disclosed in theforegoing description, it will be understood that various modificationswithin the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in theart. Therefore,

it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except asdefined by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A theft-proof display rack comprising a support surface, at least oneslot in said support surface, a movable locking plate beneath saidsupport surface, said locking plate having at least one lock fingeradapted to intersect said slot and pass through an object disposedtherein, means connected to said locking plate for urging said lockfinger out of intersecting registration with said slot, fixed retainingmeans beneath said support surface adapted to contact said locking platefor retaining said lock finger in intersecting registration with saidslot against the bias of said urging means, and manually operable meansconnected to said locking plate for moving said locking plate out ofcontact with said retaining means.

2. A display rack in accordance with claim 1 wherein said urging meansincludes a spring connected to said locking plate adjacent one endthereof.

3. A display rack in accordance with claim 2 wherein said fixedretaining means includes a stationary pin adapted to abut said lockingplate adjacent the opposite end thereof.

4. A display rack in accordance with claim 3 wherein said locking plateincludes an abutment surface for contact with said stationary pin, saidabutment surface terminating at an edge of said locking plate.

5. A display rack in accordance with claim 4 wherein said manuallyoperable means includes an end portion of said locking plate bent toform a finger pull, whereby by pushing said finger pull said abutmentsurface is moved out of contact with said stationary pin therebyenabling said spring to urge said lock finger out of intersectingregistration with said slot to release an object disposed therein.

6. A display rack in accordance with claim 1 wherein said fixedretaining means includes a stationary pin adapted to abut said lockingplate adjacent one end thereof.

7. Display apparatus comprising a retaining clip having a loop portionadapted to extend through a billfold or the like, a display rack, saiddisplay rack including a support surface, at least one slot in saidsupport surface for receiving the loop portion of said retaining clip, amovable locking plate beneath said support surface, said locking platehaving at least one lock finger adapted to intersect said slot and passthrough the loop portion of said retaining clip, and means beneath saidsupport surface for retaining said lock finger in intersectingregistration with said slot to preclude removal of said retaining cliptherefrom.

8. Display apparatus in accordance with claim 7 including meansconnected to said locking plate for urging said lock finger out ofintersecting registration with said slot, and said retaining meansincludes fixed means adapted to contact said locking plate for retainingsaid lock finger in intersecting registration with said slot against thebias of said urging means.

9. Display apparatus in accordance with claim 8 wherein said urgingmeans includes a spring connected to said locking plate adjacent one endthereof.

10. Display apparatus in accordance with claim 9 wherein said fixedretaining means includes a stationary pin adapted to abut said lockingplate adjacent the opposite end thereof.

11. Display apparatus in accordance with claim 10 wherein said lockingplate includes an abutment surface for contact with said stationary pin,said abutment surface terminating at an edge of said locking plate.

12. Display apparatus in accordance with claim 11 including manuallyoperable means connected to said locking plate for moving said lockingplate out of contact with said stationary pin.

13. Display apparatus in accordance with claim 12 5 6 wherein saidmanually operable means includes an end References Cited portion of saidlocking plate bent to form a finger pull, UNITED STATES PATENTS wherebyby pushing said finger pull said abutment surface is moved out ofcontact with said stationary pin 3,204,774 9/1965 Barblen 211 4 therebyenabling said spring to urge said lock finger out 5 THERON E. CONDONPrimary Examiner.

of intersecting registration with said slot to release said retainingclip. G. T. HALL, Assistant Examiner.

